METRO MISHAP: THE DAY AFTER
Injured discharged
Four of nine Sunday victims still in AIIMSNew Delhi, July 13
A day after Sunday dawned in dark days for many people, six more people suffered injuries during the rubble clearance operation at the metro mishap site and were rushed to the AIIMS trauma centre this noon in three PCR vans.

What went wrong during Metro relief operations?
New Delhi, July 13
A day after an under-construction elevated section of the Delhi Metro collapsed killing six persons, a crash during relief operations injured six persons today. The cause for the crash was a mechanical snag in one of the four cranes supporting the heavy girder segment in place, officials said.

Bijli-paani crisis continues
New Delhi, July 12
Residents of areas surrounding Jamrudpur in south Delhi have been struggling for water for the past two days. And the second Metro mishap that took place today afternoon has further aggravated the problem.

Office-goers bear the brunt
New Delhi, July 13
Thousands of people in many parts of south Delhi had to struggle for hours to reach their offices this morning as traffic came to a standstill on various roads leading to the site where six people were killed after a section of the Delhi Metro track had collapsed yesterday.

METRO MISHAP: THE DAY AFTER

(Left) Residents of Jamrudpur carry water cans to fill water from DDA Park, GK-I, in front of Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi on Monday. (Right) People try to avoid the
sewage in the Jamrudpur area that collected after the pipeline burst. Tribune photos: Manas Ranjan Bhui

DU bus for the disabled started
New Delhi, July 13
A specially designed disabled-friendly bus will now run in Delhi University making life easier for the disabled on campus. The bus was flagged off today by S. K.
Tandon, the pro-vice chancellor of the University of Delhi.WE CARE: A disabled lecturer makes way in the specially-designed bus at North Campas in New Delhi
on Monday. Tribune photos: Mukesh Aggarwal

Shopkeeper stabbed, 3 cops suspended
New Delhi, July 13
A 31-year-old man was stabbed to death in the Ashok Vihar area of east Delhi last night following which three policemen were suspended for dereliction of duty.
Jagdish who owned a shop in the area was attacked by three unknown men with rods and knives at around 10 p.m. yesterday.
“Jagdish was attacked in his Jailer Road residence last night. When he resisted, he was stabbed. He was rushed to the
S.L. Jain Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” said a police official.

East Delhi police arrested accused Surjit Singh Munda for the murder of a senior citizen at Shreshta Vihar in
New Delhi on Monday. Tribune photo

NGO to train Delhi juvenile home kids
New Delhi, July 13
The Delhi Cabinet today gave its nod for involvement of NGOs to provide better services of non-formal education along with vocational training for the children and women putting up in the homes run by the Department of Women and Child Development and better management and operation of the Old Age Home.

Bikers on robbing spree
Noida/Gt. Noida, July 13
Bikers looted a shopkeeper in Greater Noida on Sunday near a police post and two media personnel in
Noida. In another incident, criminals barged into a house, put a gun at the temple of a month-old baby and looted jewellery and cash from the lone housewife. The intruders had come into the house helped by the maid
Anjali, engaged two days ago.

Gzb SHOs told to rein in biker gangs
Ghaziabad, July 13
Now, officers in charge of police stations would be held responsible if they fail to rein in bikers who have terrorised residents of this town adjoining the national Capital.
SSP Akhil Kumar said SHO or staff officer of police stations would be held accountable for the crime committed by biker gangs in areas under their jurisdiction. “Stringent action would be taken against such policemen,” he warned.

Colleges asked to form anti-ragging squads
Gurgaon, July 13
Deputy commissioner Rajender Kataria has asked principals of all colleges to be more vigilant and constitute anti-ragging squads in their respective colleges.
Kataria said this today adding the contact number of the squads should be displayed at prominent places on college premises and in hostels.

Gurgaon unit gets notice for causing pollution
Gurgaon, July 13
Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has served a showcause notice to Munjal Showa Limited, Gurgaon, for causing water pollution, on the complaint of villagers of Sarhaul on Sunday.

1 held for dacoity
New Delhi, July 13
With the arrest of one Mahesh, alias Ganja, the police has worked out a dacoity case reported a fortnight ago in the house of a senior advocate in Sector 6, Panchkula, Haryana.

Two nabbed with fake notes
New Delhi, July 13
The special cell of the Delhi police busted a fake currency racket and arrested two people in this connection from the Mathura Road area here last night, police said today.

New Delhi, July 13
A day after Sunday dawned in dark days for many people, six more people suffered injuries during the rubble clearance operation at the metro mishap site and were rushed to the AIIMS trauma centre this noon in three PCR vans. All of them, having varying degrees of injuries, were discharged by late afternoon. And from yesterday’s nine patients, five were discharged today, while four are still recuperating in the trauma health facility.

Tarwinder Singh, a resident of Delhi, who had a fracture in his right hand and left leg had to jump to save himself from coming under the segment that was being lifted by four cranes.

Employed with Gammon for four years, he said, “There were four cranes, two of 250 tonnes and two of 300-350 tonnes and I was on the 350 tonnes crane when I saw the launching girder that was being lifted by the four cranes moving towards the ground. Within no time, I jumped to the other side to save myself, but got these fractures.”

A foreman with Gammon, Vindesh Mishra (38) from Baliyan-UP said that because of the breaking of boom of one of the cranes, the other three cranes couldn’t take the heavy load and gave in.

Vindesh who stays in Sector 44 Noida belongs to the same neighborhood where the deceased site engineer Anshuman Pratihar lived. His body is still awaiting a release by his family (already on their way to Delhi from Bihar).

Vindesh, who had been running around to do all that he could do for his colleagues, said one of his close friends, informed Amarnath’s family and Amarnath’s elder brother Prakash Choudhary and his grandfather.

While Amarnath’s cousin Dharmendra, who is pursuing his second year civil engineering from IGNOU, after visiting him said, “He could recognise us even though his eyes were closed. He responded to whatever we said and could feel our presence through our voice.”

Amarnath’s wife Pinki has not eaten anything since she was informed about his accident and had been anxiously praying for his recovery.

Meanwhile, among the four yesterday’s patients who are still at the hospital—Anil Yadav (25) and Amarnath Choudhary are in the neuro-surgical ward, Mahadev (24) is in the surgery ward and Amar Singh is in the ICU.

Dr Amit Gupta at AIIMS said that Amar, sustained blunt injury in his abdomen and pelvis.

As informed by Dr Amit Gupta at AIIMS, the condition of Anil and Mahadev is stable, whereas the other two are still critical, but they are likely to pull out.

“Anil Yadav (25), who came with frontal subdural injury showed a good level of consciousness and is presently stable. Amarnath, with severe head injury, has been showing improvement since yesterday, but he is still critical, whereas Amar Singh, who came to us with internal bleeding in the abdomen, still remains to be critical, being on ventillator and is kept on life support measures,” stated Dr Amit.

Adding that in cases like that of Amar Singh, who was admitted to the hospital with all his vitals unstable, the probability of survival is not more than 40 per cent.

He said, “In the case of Amar Singh, the injury severity score is very high. The two stable patients are likely to be discharged by tomorrow morning, and are expected to regain their functionality within 4-5 days.”

New Delhi, July 13
A day after an under-construction elevated section of the Delhi Metro collapsed killing six persons, a crash during relief operations injured six persons today. The cause for the crash was a mechanical snag in one of the four cranes supporting the heavy girder segment in place, officials said.

The Metro relief efforts turned to tragedy as cranes and a metal girder crashed on to the ground damaging a few shops selling garden accessories.

One crane turned turtle when the arms of the other three supporting the load snapped in series. Six relief workers sustained minor injuries as a result, said Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal.

Terming the relief operations as a “difficult, tricky and dangerous” process, he assured that it would all be over in a week’s time.

On Sunday, an elevated section of the Metro in the Jamrudpur area had collapsed, killing six persons and injuring 15 workers. It was the worst accident in the history of Delhi Metro.

Around 200 Metro workers and engineers gathered at the site to remove debris and divert traffic in the Jamrudpur area of south Delhi when the second incident occurred.

“Four massive cranes were employed in relief and rescue operations since Sunday, one of which was a heavy capacity crane of 400 tonnes. It developed a snag in its arm or boom which led to the crash,” Dayal informed.

Dayal explained that owing to the mechanical failure, the crane’s boom snapped and the weight of the mutilated 31 metre launching girder — which was hinged to one of the pillars since Sunday’s collapse — was transferred to the remaining cranes — two of 250 tonne capacity and another of 350 tonnes.

“The weight got transferred to the remaining three cranes and they had to take extra load. As a result two booms also snapped. Since they were supposed to work in tandem, one mechanical failure... all weight came on others and the third crane toppled over,” Dayal said.

The crane toppled over with its 16 wheels in the air and the launching girder crashed to the ground creating “slight panic and stampede.” Six persons fell down and sustained minor scratches, Dayal said.

However, the three crane operators involved in the work escaped unharmed and the damaged shops would be repaired by the Delhi Metro, he added.

The site clearing operations to remove the collapsed concrete girder as well as the 31-metre-long metal launching girder began on Sunday afternoon. The weight of the portion of the launching girder that was being lifted by the four cranes was about 200 tonnes.

“Eighty per cent of the launching girder has already come onto the ground and will be cut using gas cutter machines and transported from the site, while 20 per cent is still on the elevated concrete beam and is being lowered,” he said.

Dayal said that other damaged cranes were being removed with new cranes that were brought in to remove the debris.

“The Metro engineers and technicians are still working out how to dismantle the girder on the elevated section. One lane on the road would be opened by Tuesday afternoon for traffic and the other would take six to seven days,” Dayal assured.
— IANS

New Delhi, July 12
Residents of areas surrounding Jamrudpur in south Delhi have been struggling for water for the past two days. And the second Metro mishap that took place today afternoon has further aggravated the problem. Thus, making it difficult for the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) workers to repair the affected pipelines.

The problem has worsened so much that residents were found filling water from public conveniences and DDA parks. People carrying buckets queued up for hours at a DDA park in front of Lady Sri Ram College to fetch water today.

A major pipeline had burst when a bridge collapsed at a Metro site in Jamrudpur yesterday.

Adding to people’s woes, DJB sources said that water problem in the area could not be tackled till the Delhi Metro completed the work of removing debris. With the collapse of cranes, the Jal Board’s task has become tougher and it might take two to three days to get beck to normalcy.

“We cannot access the pipelines till the wreckage is removed,” said a DJB official.

The pipelines were to be repaired by Monday evening. But with the second mishap, the Delhi Metro expects to take some more time.

Moreover, power supply in the area has also been snapped temporarily, as cranes are working to clear the debris. Power cuts were reported in Amar Colony, Vikram Vihar and
Jamrudpur.

New Delhi, July 13
Thousands of people in many parts of south Delhi had to struggle for hours to reach their offices this morning as traffic came to a standstill on various roads leading to the site where six people were killed after a section of the Delhi Metro track had collapsed yesterday. After the accident, the DMRC had closed the traffic on the roads in East of Kailash, Amar Colony and around Lady Shri Ram College to clear the debris from the accident site.

However, the debris could not be cleared due to early morning showers. As a result, the office-goers had to struggle for hours with their crawling vehicles.

The traffic was choked on all roads leading to south Delhi’s commercial Nehru Place area. Heavy traffic jams were reported in Greater Kailash, Moolchand, Amar Colony, East of Kailash and Zamrudpur. People working in the offices in and around these places suffered most.

“I do not think anybody in my office reached on time today as most of us come from Noida and have to criss-cross Ring Road to reach offices. There were heavy jams and I was delayed by two hours,” said Pankaj Adhikari, an engineer with office in Nehru Place.

Serpentine queues and traffic jams spilled on to the arterial roads of south Delhi and traffic police had hard times in diverting vehicles. “ We tried our best to manage and warn people through FM radio,” said a traffic official.

New Delhi, July 13
A specially designed disabled-friendly bus will now run in Delhi University making life easier for the disabled on campus. The bus was flagged off today by S. K. Tandon, the pro-vice chancellor of the University of Delhi.

Tandon spoke at length on “the great leap the university has taken in making it disabled-friendly”.

The inauguration included a demonstration of the use of the ramp and the lifting of wheel chair users into the bus. It has been built at a cost of Rs 16 lakh and manufactured by Swaraj Mazda.

Highlights of the bus include two entrances, including a hydraulic lift at the rear, ramp flasher, handrails for wheel chair users, wheel claspers, stop request button, audio announcements for persons with vision impairment, crutch box, colour contrasted handrails and stanchions.

The bus will have a well-sensitized driver. The NGO Sanjeevani has been actively involved in the making of bus and the sensitization programme. There will be no fare for persons with disabilities and the bus will run on a predefined route-frequency, 30 minutes maximum.

The helpline number will be with the co-driver and students can call up for knowing the location of the bus.

One more bus has been proposed this year connecting the north-south campus. The timetable schedule of the bus will be publicized through FM and other means. The bus is equipped with an audio announcement system for the aid of people having vision impairment.

This will help the visually impaired to locate and board the bus as soon as it is within a distance of about 10 meters from where they stand.

New Delhi, July 13
A 31-year-old man was stabbed to death in the Ashok Vihar area of east Delhi last night following which three policemen were suspended for dereliction of duty.

Jagdish who owned a shop in the area was attacked by three unknown men with rods and knives at around 10 p.m. yesterday.

“Jagdish was attacked in his Jailer Road residence last night. When he resisted, he was stabbed. He was rushed to the S.L. Jain Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” said a police official.

According to the victim’s family members, the attackers were members of a local betting gang against whom Jagdish had complained in the past.

“The attackers were local sattebaz against whom Jagdish had complained. They had threatened him with dire consequences, but the police did not take the matter seriously. The men are protected by the local police,” said Jagdish’s uncle.

After the death came into light, residents, including local MLA Harishankar Gupta, came out on the streets demanding action against the culprits. They met senior police officials and alleged that the police was trying to shield the culprits.

As a result, one head constable and two constables have been suspended. A case of murder has been lodged at Ashok Vihar police station.

17-yr student
ends life

A 17-year-old girl committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her house at Gokulpuri in south east Delhi last night.

The deceased, Pammi, had appeared for Class XII examination this year and had managed to secure a seat at Ramjas College. She was found dead by her mother around 10 p.m. yesterday. The reason behind her taking the extreme step has not been ascertained yet.

“Last night Pammi’s mother had gone to buy some fruits. Pammi was alone in the house. When her mother returned, she found Pammi hanging from a ceiling fan. We have not found any suicide note,” said a police official.

Pammi’s father Hukum Singh runs a flower shop and had not returned home when the incident took place. Her parents have denied that Pammi was under some depression.

New Delhi, July 13
The Delhi Cabinet today gave its nod for involvement of NGOs to provide better services of non-formal education along with vocational training for the children and women putting up in the homes run by the Department of Women and Child Development and better management and operation of the Old Age Home.

The Cabinet also gave its approval for the creation of eight posts in different scales in the office of the Leader of Opposition in Delhi.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, while briefing media after the Cabinet meeting, stated that it had been decided to involve an NGO, Shubhakshika, for providing better services of non-formal education to children living in destitute homes. They will also be provided vocational training with certificates.

Women and children putting up in 10 such homes - Juvenile Home for Boys I and II, Alipur; Juvenile Home for Boys I and II Lajpat Nagar, Juvenile Home for Girls I and II, Nirmal Chhaya, Observation Home for Boys, Kingsway Camp; Observation Home for Girls, Nirmal Chhaya; Bal Sadan, Timarpur and Women Institutions in Nirmal Chhaya Complex would be benefited with this decision.

It has been observed that in the juvenile homes many children above the age of seven or eight years, who have had little or no schooling cannot be admitted in Class-I of any regular school being overage hence they remain deprived of regular education. The educational programme offered by Shubhakshika will enable them to get Class III, V and VIII certificates and thereafter to join regular schools. The certificates are recognized for admission in government schools.

The NGO will also provide vocational training in two trades for all beneficiaries along with non-formal education for rehabilitation to all women and children.

The NGO would provide all required educational materials for organising and conducting classes, deploy only professional staff for delivery of quality services, complete the syllabus as per module, help children for preparation of examination and carry on the educational programme without disturbing and interfering with the ongoing rehabilitation process.

The Cabinet has also approved involvement of an NGO “Delhi Brotherhood Society” for better management and operation of the Old Age Home, Lampur. An agreement will be signed with the NGO for a long-term period. Earlier experience of engaging an NGO for running of Old Age Home at Dwarka has proved to be fruitful, the Chief Minister said.

Besides, Cabinet has approved the creation of eight posts in different scales in the office of the Leader of Opposition on co-terminus basis instead of existing arrangement of providing staff in diverted capacity from other departments. The posts include one personal secretary, two stenographers, two clerks, one driver and two other Class IV officials.

Noida/Gt. Noida, July 13
Bikers looted a shopkeeper in Greater Noida on Sunday near a police post and two media personnel in Noida.

In another incident, criminals barged into a house, put a gun at the temple of a month-old baby and looted jewellery and cash from the lone housewife. The intruders had come into the house helped by the maid Anjali, engaged two days ago.

At 8 pm near Kotwali Sector-39, Rachna was alone at home with her one-month-old baby and four-year-old son, Suyansh. Her husband Ravi Mithani had taken his mother Ratna Sharma to NMC hospital for a check-up.

The intruders looking about 22 and 25 years old, overpowered the housewife, Rachna and snatched the baby from her at gunpoint.

They decamped with jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh from the bedroom almirah, cell phone, wrist watches, handicamp, etc in which the maid had reportedly assisted them.

Before leaving, the intruders had tied Rachna’s hands and feet. Soon her husband came and they informed the Sector-39 Kotwali. At 1 am, SSP and circle officer visited their house. Ravi Mithani is a HR manager in an IT company. The sector 39 police has registered a case.

Two media hands were also robbed in the city. Nishant Dhawan, working as a reporter in a private TV channel in Filim City Noida was on his way home at 4 am when six criminals on three bikes deprived him of his purse containing Rs 3,000 and cell phone near Park Plaza Sector-55. The Sector-58 Kotwali police has registered a report of the loot.

A lady correspondent working in a private channel in Sector-11 was walking to the bus stand in Sector 12 for going home in Zakir Nagar, Delhi, on Sunday afternoon. Two bikers on a Pulser snatched her gold chain. The Sector-24 Kotwali police has registered her complaint.

A shopkeeper was robbed by two bikers of Rs 10,000 and cell phone at gunpoint. Anand of Tughalakpur runs a fastfood shop in Greater Noida. The Kasna police has registered a report of cell phone loss only.

Ghaziabad, July 13
Now, officers in charge of police stations would be held responsible if they fail to rein in bikers who have terrorised residents of this town adjoining the national Capital.

SSP Akhil Kumar said SHO or staff officer of police stations would be held accountable for the crime committed by biker gangs in areas under their jurisdiction. “Stringent action would be taken against such policemen,” he warned.

If an SHO fails to show improvement in law and order situation in his area, he would not be allowed to attend the next crime meeting, the SSP said in a crime meet today.

SHOs of all police stations should be extra cautious of the area targetted by bikers. Policemen should pay attention to morning patrolling.

Kumar chided the SHOs of Sihani Gate, Sahibabad, Indirapuram, Kavi Nagar and Loni police stations for the rising crime graph in their areas. He said all heinous crimes took place in these areas and the police had failed to solve any.

He asked SHOs to make proper security and traffic arrangements for
kanwariyas.

Gurgaon, July 13
Deputy commissioner Rajender Kataria has asked principals of all colleges to be more vigilant and constitute anti-ragging squads in their respective colleges.

Kataria said this today adding the contact number of the squads should be displayed at prominent places on college premises and in hostels.

The deputy commissioner asked principals to tell senior students about the anti-ragging arrangements made in the college and warn them to restrain from it. If any senior was found involved in ragging s/ he would be thrown out of the college. The principals should also ask the college staff to check ragging.

Kataria said if principals faced problem in keeping ragging at bay, they should inform the district administration.

The principals have assured the deputy commissioner of constituting anti-ragging squads in their colleges and ensure that no student was subjected to ragging.

Gurgaon, July 13
Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has served a showcause notice to Munjal Showa Limited, Gurgaon, for causing water pollution, on the complaint of villagers of Sarhaul on Sunday.

The unit had been earlier asked to explain its stance

on contamination of the aquifer of the surrounding area, including village Sahrol, with hexavalent chromium which is highly toxic in nature.

The unit had also been asked to deposit FDR of Rs 2.0 crore or bank guarantee of Rs 5.0 crore. Furthermore, they require submitting remediation plan to treat the whole aquifer in the surrounding areas as deep as 500 feet, failing which the unit will be closed.

The residents of village Sarhaul near here had earlier complained to the department that the company was discharging their untreated effluent through borehole due to which the underground water had become unfit for human consumption.

It was then the team consisting of officers of head as well as regional office of HSPCB has visited and inspected the unit and the village. They had collected sample and found it to be yellow.

It was found that unit was engaged in electroplating process and was manufacturing shock absorbers for two and three-wheelers. The unit also had rain water harvesting system and the sample from the harvesting tank was also collected.

The unit is having four tube wells on their premises, but as per the version of the representative of the unit, only one tubewell was being used at present and the remaining three were abandoned. The sample of tubewell water was also collected and it was found that yellowish water was coming out.

The analysis reports of the sample collected proved that Munjal Showa was responsible for the contamination due to discharge of highly toxic hexavalent chromium.

The regional officer has recommended that action may be taken against the unit.

New Delhi, July 13
With the arrest of one Mahesh, alias Ganja, the police has worked out a dacoity case reported a fortnight ago in the house of a senior advocate in Sector 6, Panchkula, Haryana.

Ganja was arrested last night from the Lodhi Road Complex area where he had come to meet one of his contacts.

On June 5, Ganja along with five accomplices had robbed R.S. Mittal, an advocate.

Mittal alleged they at gunpoint robbed him of his cash and jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh. A case of dacoity was registered at Sector 5 police station, Panchkula.

DCP (south) HGS Dhaliwal said Ganja had disclosed he had been an active member of the notorious “Raju Hakla” gang and involved in various cases of firing on police, dacoity, attempt to murder.

“Ganja said he got a tip-off from Jeevan Yadav, a cook at Mittal’s house that huge cash and jewellery were in the house,” said Dhaliwal.

Ganja with the help of his accomplices Pintoo,, Kunnal, Narender, Gaurav and hired a taxi from Anand Parbat taxi stand and reached Panchkula. At around 9.30 pm, they entered inside the house from the back gate which was left open by the cook and overpowered the couple while they were having a dinner.

According to DCP Dhaliwal, most of the robbed articles were kept with Gaurav who reportedly sold them to one Ashok Pakora, a jeweler. Both Gaurav and Pakora are absconding.

New Delhi, July 13
The special cell of the Delhi police busted a fake currency racket and arrested two people in this connection from the Mathura Road area here last night, police said today.

Fake currency of Rs 85,000 in Rs 500 denomination has been recovered from their possession.

The arrested, identified as Vinod Singh and Virendra Prasad, both hailing from Bihar and of about 25 years of age, were bringing a consignment of the currency from Nepal when they were caught red-handed.

Virender is known to be involved in a case of kidnapping and fake currency case of Beria police station in Bettiah district of Bihar.

He disclosed that he procures the currency from a contact in Nepal and further distributes it to Indian market in ratio of 1:2.

The other accused Vinod disclosed that he joined the infamous Devinder Dubey gang in 1990 and is involved in more than eight cases of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and Arms Act.